STV Player: new features and content partners announced

STV has unveiled new content providers and new features for its on-demand service, STV Player.
It's part of a new look and brand identity for the Player that have been launched by STV. The new design offers enhanced features allowing viewers easier access to the broader range of content available.

The new features which have gone live include ‘live restart' on all live streaming platforms, enabling viewers who have missed the start of a match or other programme to restart. This is now being used in almost one fifth of live streams. Viewers are also now provided with tailored end of play recommendations with one in three going on to watch the recommended content.

Launched in time for the Rugby World Cup, which will be live on STV Player from 20th September for viewers in Scotland, ‘picture in picture’ enables viewers to work and watch the rugby at the same time. ‘Picture in picture’ is available for all content on the STV Player.

On top of offering on-demand and catch-up content based on STV's channel 3 service in Central and Northern Scotland, the broadcaster has announced further new content partners. Recently secured partners are Joe Media, DCD Rights, and Kew Media. New programmes now available from these latest arrivals include new weekly sports shows covering boxing, cricket, football and rugby featuring sports stars such as Mike Tindall, Graeme Swan and Carl Frampton from Joe Media. Viewers will also be able to watch a broader range of crime programming through the new partnership with DCD Rights, and a deal signed with Kew Media will provide further factual, features and drama series.

As previously announced, STV Player will be hosting a live stream of FreeSports, going live in the next few weeks.

Earlier this summer, partnerships were confirmed with Endemol Shine International, TCB Media Rights and TVF International and series such as comedy-mystery-drama Hamish Macbeth and crime drama My Dirty Little Secret are already proving popular with STV viewers as they join the top thirty most watched shows on the platform.

Richard Williams, STV’s Managing Director, Digital, said:

Our vision is for the STV Player to become Scotland’s digital destination. STV’s investment in programming provides viewers with an even greater choice of exclusive, live and on demand content and increases the appeal of STV Player to the widest possible audience. The continued enhancements to the Player provide further flexibility in how viewers watch STV, ensuring that they can access their favourite shows however and whenever they want.

The full STV Player service is available for viewers with a central or northern Scottish postcode, where STV holds the rights to offer a catch-up of ITV's programmes. Outside of STV's Channel 3 terrestrial coverage area, viewers in the rest of the UK can still access a selection of programmes, minus ITV content.